


The Story Behind Professor Strange

by Groot_the_tree



Series: Ironstrange Professors [3]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Professors, Canon Disabled Character, Career Ending Injuries, Fluff, Hurt Stephen Strange, Insecure Stephen Strange, Light Angst, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Professors, Tony Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 09:34:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20289283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Groot_the_tree/pseuds/Groot_the_tree
Summary: Tony learns what happened that lead to Stephen becoming a professor.





	The Story Behind Professor Strange

**Author's Note:**

> In the last part of this series someone mentioned wanting Tony's reaction to why Stephen didn't shake his hands. Here it is.

Tony looks to Stephen one day, after they had been together for a couple weeks, just long enough for them to feel comfortable around each other. He had decided to finally ask the question that had been on his mind since the first day they had met. “Steph, can I ask you something?” He asks, 

Stephen looks up from his text book and laptop where he had been planning out his next lecture. “You just did but I suppose, if you think you can, then you can.” He responds, looking back down.

Tony rolls his eyes, “I was just wondering if you can tell me what happened to your hands?” He asks.

***

There was one thing that all the students knew. Dr. Strange never used the board for writing or drawing. 

All their other professors could be seen drawing out designs, thorough explanations of what they were covering, any form of visual aide. Dr. Strange however, never done any of this. He would find a version on the internet to get his point across and explain or make his own using his computer but never drew one out.

Come to think of it, they have never seen anything he’s wrote. Even papers they turned in and he graded were done through email. Tests were graded electronically. Nothing handwritten. It was strange to the students, pun intended, but never of them ever bothered to ask. Even if they did, they knew he wouldn’t answer, it wasn’t any of their business anyway.

All their professors had at least one weird quirk after all. Dr. Stark talking about his personal life all the time with no care. Dr. Banner leaving the room when he started to get angry over something in class. Dr. Rogers and his thing about having to obey classroom rules that were set in like the fifties. 

So none of the students thought it too weird that Strange never wrote anything. The man had been a doctor after all, they probably couldn’t read his writing if he had tried anyway.

None of them knew the truth, what had actually happened to his hands. It was common knowledge in the medical world what had happened to the once famous doctor and Stephen had no doubt that they would one day know if they pursued the doctor dreams most were chasing but he wasn’t going to be the one to explain it. He did prefer to keep his private life private after all. 

***

Stephen slowly looks back up at Tony, “What?” He asks.

Tony swallows, a little worried that he had angered or upset the other man. “It’s just that when we first met, you wouldn’t shake my hand. I noticed I never see you write. Some days you seem to have trouble typing. You keep them hidden a lot. I was just curious. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to but… I had to ask.” He finishes lamely. 

Stephen takes a deep breath and shakes his head, pushing his book and laptop to the side. “No, it’s quite alright. I just wasn’t expecting that question. Sorry. I suppose I can explain it.” He says, trying to ready himself. Tony sits patiently, giving him all the time he needs.

“A few years,” He starts slowly, “I was…I going to say it, I was a famous neurosurgeon.” He admits, almost laughing at the word. “I was so confident and self centered. It was to a disgusting amount honestly, thinking back. I hate that guy now. I was out one night, going home after a long shift. Someone called and was talking about a patient. They sent me the files, while I was driving and I decided to check them. It was raining, the road was wet.” He pauses for a moment, looking at Tony, then down. “I don’t really know what happened, all I know is that I ran off the road. I ruined…everything that night. My entire career, everything I had been working for. Who I was. Everything.” 

Tony keeps his eyes on the man, listening to his story carefully. He wanted to interject, say something but he didn’t know what and he knew it would be best to just sit quietly until the story was over. 

“I woke up in the hospital, hands damaged beyond repair. Nerve damage, they told me they would never be what they were. I would never be what I was. Without my hands I was nothing. Everything hurt but nothing hurt more than those words.” He admits, looking down at his hands with so much hatred. 

Tony waits a moment and, when the other man doesn’t continue talking, covers his hands with his own, blocking his view of them, holding them with so much care. “Stop talking about yourself that way.” He says, softly but leaving no room for argument. “You are amazing Stephen Strange. You may not be the surgeon you once were, and I may not have known you back then, but I do know you’re still just as smart, just as beautiful, just as much of a doctor as you were back then.” He leans forward and lightly kisses the other. 

“You’re still using what you’ve learned. Both from others and your own personal experience to teach others. You knowledge is still saving lives. You’re still doing your job. I’m not just going to sit back and let you talk about yourself that way. You, Dr. Stephen Strange, are beautiful in every way possible.” 

Stephen sits back, listening to Tony and looking at him. He looks down, feeling his face turning red. He wasn’t too sure how to accept the compliment, or any compliment, let alone one that heartfelt and honest. He smiles a little and looks back up, “Thank you Dr. Stark.”

***

Dr. Strange never changed his teaching style, not after Dr. Starks little speech, not ever. What he was told didn’t magically cure the shaking in his hand, or his anxiety surrounding them. But he learned that Tony wouldn’t judge him for anything. 

He also began to walk with a little more confidence than he did before, knowing that he had someone else there for him. Knowing that that man was right, he was still teaching and that was still leading to lives being saved. It might not be directly but that didn’t change that he was still helping people, doing the one thing that he had been wanting to do since he was nineteen. 

Stephen Strange was still making a difference.

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to say thank you to everyone reading these, leaving comments, kudos and bookmarking. It's really amazing. I read the comments and start writing things that have been suggested there, so if you have something you want to see in this series please let me know. 
> 
> Also working on a like 3 chapter part of this that will revolve around the kids. Wrote the last chapter first so...oops


End file.
